Hello to all in the My Merhaba Community,

I'm travelling from my home in Australia to spend time with my hubby's Turkish family in Dec/Jan 09/10. I will be 3/4mths pregnant at that time and I am wanting to have my 18 week ultrasound (usual time to have it in Australia) whilst we are in Izmir. I'm hoping there might be someone who can point me in the right direction from the expat/local community........

1. Do you have to have a referral for an ultrasound (ie see a doctor first) or can you just schedule one with the local ultrasound clinic?

2. Is there any Multilingual (English/Turkish) ultrasound clinics in the Izmir locality?

3. What would be the approximate costs of doing the above in Turkieye?

Thanks in advance for any info, it's greatly appreciated.

Kymberly in Australia

Congratulations! Most private clinics and modern hospitals will do ultrasounds, no referral or letter needed. Most of the doctors in private clinics or the private hospitals will speak some english... The state hospitals are a very different story!

Private clinics are very modern and have topnotch machinery. The ultrasound machines are incredible - all computerized. The can measure the length of the bones, circumference of the head, and it will come up with an estimated age of the fetus +/- a few days. All they do is flip a switch and it becomes 4d, hit a button and you get a print out.

I started out at a private clinic - paying 200 tl per appointment. I then switched to a hospital, and paid 80 tl per session, for the same level of care! I'm sorry, I can't give you any names of hospitals since I'm in Istanbul. Maybe someone else can.

I'm planning on going to the OBGYN either this week or next week. I will ask where they do 3D ultrasounds in Izmir.

Awesome that would be fantastic, thanks for the info so far. My husband insists we'll figure it out when we get there, but I need to have the information for myself (without having to be guided by only the information of my Turkish family.... ) I really appreciate any other information offered.

I went to the doctor today and asked about the 3D/4D ultrasound and they had it. At my doctors they do it at your check-up, no need to schedule an additional appointment. You didn't mention where your in-laws live but I go to Kent Hastanesi. They have an English website if you want to check it out. The doctors also speak English, so you wouldn't need your husband to translate.

Referral ultrasound? I heard this to my friends. I will make to see this to my friends. Maybe they really know something about this. Before I will do this, I am going to go in Ultrasound Repair Training.

More about pregnancy.....

Has anybody had the Amniocentesis test done in Turkey? Is it available?

Also, have any ladies had C-sections performed in Turkish hospitals? What have your experiences been?

Thanks

Jana,

Amniocentesis is available in Turkey. I'm sure you'll find that all the tests you would have done in the US or Europe are also available here. In addition instead of just getting one or two ultrasounds they do them at every appointment. The vast majority of Turkish women have c-sections, it is in fashion now a days. Personally I have not, so I can't help you out with that.

My biggest recommendation would be to go to a good private hospital, in Turkey you get what you pay for!

Thanks so much Kelbelle!!!

Having always existed in the comfort-zone of relatively 'cheap'/public healthcare in Australia, I wasn't sure of availability of services in a non-public-health country.

Good to know that all of this stuff is here.....at a cost LOL.

Here in turkey there is public health care for most people. If you or your husband work legally then you will be covered under SSK. Personally I wouldn't want to go to the SSK hospital, but you could use SSK to get a discount at a private hospital. In our case the money saved isn't worth the hassle of doing things the governments way, so we chose to pay cash.

The problem with public hospitals in my opinion, is that there are long lines, over worked doctors, and the hospitals are generally older. They are good for getting things like MRI's for free though.